We’re excited to introduce you to our October Volunteer of the Month, Steve Giegerich! Steve started volunteering with us last year by supporting visiting classes in Write Together, and mentoring our students in Teen Writers’ Collective. He also volunteered this summer and now volunteers in Write After School! Oh, and he proofreads publications as well—he’s involved in a little bit of everything! Learn more about Steve by reading his interview below:

826NYC: How did you first get involved with 826NYC and why did you decide to volunteer?

Steve: I came across 826NYC in a search for volunteer opportunities with a youth-focused, non-profit writing program. The hands-on 826NYC approach appealed to an objective to work closely with young people as they discover the joy of the written word.

826NYC: What’s your favorite part of 826NYC?

Steve: Observing a word, sentence, or paragraph burst from a student’s mind onto a sheet of paper.

826NYC: What do you enjoy most about Write Together?
Steve: The soup-to-nuts process that in a single morning turns a random idea into a book. Minus the chaos, egos, and profanity, it is not unlike the task of putting out a daily newspaper—an exercise that I participated in as a reporter for more years than I dare acknowledge.

The kids enter the room as students and two hours later emerge as published authors. It doesn’t get any better than that.

826NYC: What do you do when you’re not at 826NYC?

Steve: Reading, writing, running, cycling, cooking and doing my best to take advantage of all the city has to offer.

826NYC: What advice would you give a new volunteer?

Steve: Buckle up and have fun!

826NYC: What are your superpowers?

Steve: Laser narrative vision and the ability to help student writing in a single bound.

You can connect with Steve on Threads and LinkedIn! Want to support our students? Sign up for a volunteer orientation today!